Then Leads to Now
by HarryLurvsMarsBars
Summary: Eric wasn't always the trained professional he is today...or was he? Some E/C. Will have more chapters eventually


**My view on how Eric is introduced/ invited to the team. Based loosely on the new "every team has a beginning" clip. Review por favor!**

The windows were down and the warm, moist swamp air blew in his face in gusts as he drove along a dirt road in the Everglades. He had been sent out here to tow a silver BMW that had apparently just been dumped a couple of days ago, and no one had claimed it.

So here he was, driving at least fifteen miles an hour over what he knew he probably should, 'singing' along with "Tubthumping", the song currently blasting out of his speakers, and thinking of that very attractive Latina girl Lydia who had dropped some pretty heavy hints last night at the club. He was a young, good-looking guy living life and enjoying it without regrets.

This call was nothing unusual; people, for one reason or another, seemed to abandon their cars out here all the time, so he slowed down when he saw a peek of silver protruding from the shore of a patch of pond. Parking his truck opposite of the BMW, he hopped out to perform the usual routine.

Once the car was out of the water, he went to check it out further. Something different caught one of his senses, however, before he could even look at the exterior. There was a disgusting rotting smell, something that wasn't that uncommon here in the middle of a swamp, but it had a different…_twang_ to it, and it overpowered the typical odors of animals, mold, and dewy air.

Glancing around, though not sure what exactly he was checking for, he popped the trunk, and nearly puked at the sight of what lay in it. He stumbled backwards, only barely catching his balance. It was a girl. A _dead_ girl. It took him a good solid two minutes before he came to his senses and pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911.

Eric told the operator what he had discovered along with his location, and she informed him that a team of homicide detectives were on their way out. When he had hung up, Eric went back to his truck and shut the door, unable to stand out there with the body. His stomach clenched with uneasiness brought on by disgust. Someone must have killed her and dumped her here. It made sense, he thought; not many people come out here. He figured that he better not disturb the body so the detectives could do their job properly. In the meantime, he was just going to sit there with his radio and do his best not to throw up his lunch.

Half an hour later the police showed up. A man with a crop of red hair, another man maybe a couple of years older than him, and a blond woman stepped out of a couple of Hummers. His eyes went straight to the woman (as they often did), but this girl was really something. Her hair came halfway down her back, a few wisps framing her beautiful face, and that cream sweater was clinging to her in all the right places. The shoes, though, stood out among all other things. At least four inches tall, they put her at a whopping 5'5, and the flash of red sole he saw as she stepped out of the car confirmed that they were Christian Louboutin. He mentally cursed his parents for having three girls that had imbedded this knowledge in his head before he stepped out of the truck to greet them.

He met the man with red hair halfway and put out his hand.

"Eric Delko," he said, grasping the other's hand. "I found the body."

"Lieutenant Horatio Caine," the man replied. "If you could show me the victim, it would help us out."

Eric nodded and led Lieutenant Caine to the car, which was still attached to the cables of his tow truck. "She's in the trunk," he instructed. He opened it once again for viewing. "I didn't touch her or anything. I was just called out here to get the car, I swear."

"I believe you," Horatio said with a smile. "What else can you conclude?"

At the rather random and sudden question, Eric eyed him slightly suspiciously, unsure of where the Lieutenant was going with this. "Well, uh, she obviously didn't get here on her own. The killer might have cleaned up, because there's not much blood, which could also mean that this is a secondary scene." He paused, not sure how the man would take what he planned to say next. "The guy was probably Glade-smart. He knew that not many people come this far out, as it's pretty far from the closest tourist guide route. The only people that really come here are wildlife reserve officials."

Horatio was thoroughly impressed with this kid's observations. He decided to pursue further in learning about him. "Where did you go to school, Mr. Delko?"

"University of Miami. I have a Masters in chemistry." He didn't want to sound desperate or nerdy or anything, but he threw in, "I took a couple of CI courses also."

That was the selling point, you could say, for Horatio. "You have a good eye for detail and are surprisingly calm given the situation," he complimented. "If you're not busy in a few hours, would you consider stopping by my office later for a talk at Miami-Dade PD? We'll have to take you there for questioning later anyways."

Eric wasn't quite sure what to say. He _was_ sure, however, that a talk was most likely a job interview. He knew his answer immediately. "I'll have to clear things up with my boss first but yeah, I'd love to."

Horatio smiled. "Good." Just then the woman appeared beside him with a silver kit in hand and a camera slung around her neck. "This is CSI Calleigh Duquesne, by the way. She'll just be asking you a few questions."

Eric nodded at Horatio as he walked away and threw Calleigh the lopsided, you're-mine-now smirk that he knew went straight to almost every woman's knees. This CSI Duquesne seemed to be in the small percentage that let it blow off her like it was carried with the wind, though. She flashed him a bright smile of her own and, surprisingly, Eric felt his own breath hitch. She really was beautiful. He didn't normally go for blonds, but he was thinking of making an exception here…

**So if worst comes to worst and Adam leaves the show for good, how many of you agree with me in saying that he should take up professional modeling (more specifically, maybe Calvin Klein underwear). Come on people, the guy makes a wetsuit look amazing! Or maybe it's the wetsuit that makes **_**him**_** look amazing…whatever, he's hot. **


End file.
